Controlling device for automobiles.



APPLICAHON FILED MAR-26,19I8.

Patented Apr. 8,1919. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 6. E. CASSEL.

CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

AFPUCATION FILED MAR-26,1918.

Patented Apr. 8, 1919. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 \M m QM W12 STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUNNAB ELIAS G ASSEL, OF STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, ASSIGNOB TO ARTUR LORENZ 0140B ABRAHAM LEFFLER, 0F DJ'URSHOLM, SWEDEN.

CONTROLLIliIG DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 8., 1919.

Application filed March 26, 1918. Serial No. 224,784.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUNNAR ELIAS GAssnL, a'citizen of the Kingdom of Sweden, residing at Stockholm, Sweden, have invented new and useful Improvements in Controlling Devices for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a controlling device for automobiles and similar vehicles of the kind in which the power transmission devicebetween the power engine and the driven axle of the vehicle includes a number of clutches, which are operated by means of a thrust-disk, whereby a great ratio of gearing, adjustable within wide limits, may be obtained.

A controlling device for automobiles having a power transmission device of the said type should respond to the following conditions:

1. The device should make the use of re versing mechanisms of well known types as well as of friction clutch couplings of any type unnecessary, thereby not only rendering the machinery of the vehicle more simple, but also rendering the vehicle more reliable and more easily controlled.

2. The device should be so constructed that the forces or strains to be transferred through the clutches cannot at any time exceed certain previously determined values. This isnecessary owing to the fact that the ratio of gearing of a power transmission device of the above said kind may be given any desired value, while, with respect to the resistance of the material, it should be avoided to drive the device at its extreme positions. Hence, the following further secondary conditions must be fulfilled:

a. The vehicle must not be started in any direction with the foot-brake ap lied;

i b. The acceleration of the ve icle in the forward or reversed direction during the starting operation should be small.

3. The device should enable the alteration of the ratio of gearing to be effected in an easv manner-while the-vehicle is in motion. This invention has for its object to provide a controlling device which responds to all of the aforesaid conditions. The invention is characterized, chiefly, in this that the control of thelpower transmission device for starting ipurposespfor. adjustment of the ratio of gearing and for stoppin the vehicle is effected by means of foot-pe als.

In the accompanying drawing, one embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section of the power transmission device and an elevation of the control device. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the devices shown in Fig. 1, some part of the power transmission device being removed.

The driven axle 1 of the vehicle carries a number of clutches, which in the preferred form consist of four friction ratchet gears, each of which involving a disk 2 keyed to the shaft 1, a friction pawl 3 operating on said disk for moving the vehicle in forward direction, and another friction pawl 4 operating on the disk for moving the vehicle backwardly. Said friction pawls are mounted with a slight play in an annular segment 5 mounted on the disk 2 to move concentrically thereto. Mounted in said annular segment is a frame 7 which may be moved circumferentially with respect to the segment by means of a cam disk 6 in order to bring the one friction pawl or the other into operative position. To enable the operation of the cam disk, the shaft thereof extends through the one side wall of the segment 5 and carries outside thereof two radial projections 8, preferably at right an les to each other.

he annular segments 5 of the four friction ratchet gears are connected by means of rods 9 with a thrust-ring 10 at points situated at equal distances apart on theperiphcry ofthering. Said ring 10 is by means of ball bearings or the like mounted on a thrustdisk 11, mounted in turn on a transverse cylindricalor spherical member 13 keyed to the owe! shaft 12, as for instance a motor sha t, andprovided with a circumferential flange'situat-ed in a plane through the axis of theshaft 12 and enga ing a corresponding slot formed in the dis I 11 thereby causingthe disk 11 to revolve with the shaft 12, whilepe rmitting ittotem around an axis perpend1cular to thei axis of theshaft 12.

Bysettingthe disk 11 at an'oblique angle to the axis of the driving shaft 12; the thrustring 10, the rotationi of which is prevented by means not shown in the drawing, is caused to vibrate, back and .forthwitha wabbling or e'yi'ntiqg inev- H111. Said movement. throufigii 115i :2 liig i riodio 'fheJi-in'ii'lhfnseginenl's 5 which will thus oscillate back and .l'orih .eong ynli' giilii; jgo ,the, l sk eflb 'l he {Hiji'Qilmilit :in li elmig jibe lbw-l liek l i in an oblique jioi-lllion with l'UhplHi) lo the Hlaiifl' 11% i1; viieviud by pnmiesiolin'h ghili :ili(l:il=| \n but not; rotatably mounted onlthle Ln it if" and ((Ijl! Kigali.) Y means of n .in i lliiiiiihiiihill. 'l o displaee the hub on the :dm'lr i :1? :i 1hrust-(bell"banning is pro \llifil between the hub and a sleeve 16, l or-ihm l in iii-l outmeii-nm'levenii e'l mnfme \xith wei'eiv thrende engaging n i-orl eepbnilingly thnended 15-ortioii"1i"-of a stsfrionhry (mi li e incilosing iihe powei Bram-mission defieersothin:- thehleee lfi mget-hei with meinih ii ne hefiiispiacbd A longitiiilinally iii eil h oi (ii rel-Hon ll imniiigj the sleeve 16. The trn'rniiip' off the mid'elh vo may, for in *iUQVP'C'hV (.ii'tblill-l'lY means of :1 control "i if wo'viiierl with p nioi. 100 in mesh wii'li'n 'iinihn llll onn sheft W2 which (111'- rive ii p nion i0 nmehiii Wii'h teeth 19 2 i'rrimiwl on i'ho Enid. sleeve 16.-

vinn; ioofhed. hoe-meme .22; -23 mounted on a pjiuif. @eigeiid'eiiolvoimeeied with a pedal 25 ziii ii fi,Yflififlfiifllff Thb nodal is ndn'ptmd fox emu-tingmid inciensing the speed of the vale iole, wh ile 'ihe nodal 26 is' adapted for decreasingtihespeedwif tlie vehicle end for steeping r the snmf Disposed between Sillfl pi-dais is li pid iitifi'ii Wall 27. Provided at 'iiheenlheside 0 F SaidfWall-ee the pedalflfi is a biakeqaedai 2S controlling a hand brake (not shown) on fhedn'iven axle 1 of the vehicle and 'ifdeeired. also com-roiling a brake {not showh) onflie shaft 12. The binl-(Q pednl 28 'i' noted iipon by a spring 29 t en ding; To keep the pedal "in raised position in which the b'Take or the brakes are releaeed. BV means of a transversely extendiiig lea! 30 rigidly nt triched to file brake-pedal 28 andexiending through"ah' openingin theWell 27.nnd a F! 1i1ig 3'1 Qitfi'dted betweeii thesa'id' bn and r we pedal 261;fihe-qiedaisflfi' andflfii me eonnecwd -wvith ezioiwoiihei' i such n-W'ay'that iihe *h'relm peKial QS. ii ill When opemted, bring ehe pedai Q6 with i it, while the pedals 'a-T 'ent'iii'ely independent of eeclr oiiher with re ned toe ll oihen mevlnerits. The brakeiii *ite raising ihovmiienj; emit the l ped e1 =26 finer heope eted entirely indepehdent oi the new memes nie' vehiele e haaifl lweree ie' provided,

forwa td direction of movement, 01' the frienan pflwls .4 i-operating for athe feveried direvtion oi movement, into operative posil ion. To prevent the fu tion pantie 3 -3154 iimh being; lockedn njhen the reversing opeiai1ion ie to ifnlte plz'iogni'hich would otherwise prevent the ire-vei'eing action, the said action must make 11love while the clutch mevhillllhln is in motion. Said niove mriit however, must. not be larger than is necessary to HQCUPG nalight i'noi'emontz oi' ljlN, friction pnwls. as otherwise breakage of ihe clutch nwr'hnnisin would occur as the reversing opvmtion takes place. flo'this end provisiions areunade;whereby tholever 32min be #:hifted onlyin :i eeitnin posi'tiono'f the pedal '26, viz. inn position eorieepon'ding -to :i very eiow turning of -tl!G"lllSkS Qof thet'lutoh mw'lillfllflli. This elfectis obtained by providing' the level 2'? with a lateral opening 36 or a fork through which :1 projection 37 of the arm carrying the toothed segment 23 vonnoeh i to the pedal 26 must pass as the ievoiis shifted: The )l ]j(ii01i 37 and the opening; 36 are so poeii'ioned as to enable the shifting" oi the lever only when the pedal 26 ie in the po ition above stated;

Aeemning' the operation of the Clutch mechanism and of the tln'liSt-diSl -to=be wellknown', the opel'ht ion of the controllingde- Vice is'ns folloivnvl i lienthe pedal 25 is depreeevd, The shaft 720 and, consequently, also the sleeve 16 will be turned in siich-e dirvction as to move the hub 14 to the left, thereby seti'iiig the thrust-di it 11 at n more oblique nin gleto theaxis of the hai't 12 according as the pedal iS depressed This will in Wellknown manner effect a successive increase of the Speed of the disk 2 and the shaft 1. Nhen'the pedal 26 is depressed, the-hub 1% will be moved to the right, thereby ucce s" sively mturninp: the thrust-disk 10 to e'posh tion at right angle to the shaft 12 which poeifion will-bereiiohed When=the pedal 26 is completed depreseedz \Vhen-the'lmike pedal 28 is depressed the shaft 1 and. eventually,

:i lso thfe sha ft 12 Willbe braked. By shifting camera tween said pedals. Thus, any braking o eration cannot be effected while the c utch mechanism is in operation and, consequently, undue stresses on the clutch mechanism due to the braking action will be obviated.

If the vehicle is stopped, while moving on a horizontal road, it will, of course, stand still, even if the brake pedal 26 be released.

If the vehicle is stopped on a hili, it will be braked by the friction pawls 3 being pressed against the disks 2 at any tendency of backward movement thereof. The vehicle cannot thus move backwardly, if the brake pedal be released, and will, consequently, also in such case stand still.

If, however, the vehicle is stopped on a downhill, it will commence to move ownwardly immediately as the pedal 28 is re leased. When a short stoppage only is concerned, during which it is not necessary for the operator to leave the vehicle, the pedal 28 may be kept depressed, until the vehicle is to be started again. In longer stoppages, the vehicle after having been stopped by operating the brake-pedal, must be braked by means of the usual hand-brake (not shown), while the engine may, if desired, be stopped by shutting off the fuel supply. Said hand brake however, should be so feeble as to just be capable of preventing the vehicle from moving so that, if the operator would forget to release the hand brake before starting, the driving mechanism may be started without the risk of undue stresses thereon.

As soon as the vehicle comes to rest, the foot resting on the brake-pedal may be placed on the pedal 25, as the next operation in every case must be to start the vehicle in the forward or reversed direction of movement. In fact, the vehicle cannot be started again until after the foot has been removed from the pedal 28 and placed on the pedal 25 to depress same, as the latter cannot be depressed by the other foot on account of the wall 27 and the vehicle cannot be started but by depression of the pedal 25. Hence, starting of the vehicle with the foot-brake applied is impossible as the brake-pedal 28 on being released will be returned to its neutral position by the action of the spring 29, thus releasing the brake.

By depressing the pedal 25, the thrust-disk 11 is set at an angle to the shaft 12 thereby causing the thrust-ring to wabble and move the rods 9 back and forth. Said movement will to begin with be very small and will increase with the angle at which the thrustdisk is set with respect to the shaft 12. The starting operation will thus always be effected with the largest ratio of gearing, the ratio of gearing then successively decreasing according as the pedal 25 is depressed. This will prevent undue stresses in startin which will thus be effected softly and witliout shocks.

Reversing of the vehicle is controlled, as already stated, by means of the hand-lever 32. To avoid undue stresses on the power transmission device it should be observed that the reversing operation mustnot be effected but while the vehicle is at rest. To permit the shifting of the hand-lever, however, the pedal 26 must be in a position corresponding to a slow movement of the annular segments 5, which movement must yet suflice to release the friction pawls that might be locked at the time. As the shaft of the engine normally makes, say, 20 revolutions per second, all of the friction pawls 3 adapted for driving the vehicle forwardly will be released when the hand-lever 32 has reached its central position and caused the cam disk to release the frame 7 thereby permitting it to be moved in its neutral posiv tion by the action of its springs in which position the friction pawls 3 and the friction pawls 4 are both inoperative even if said movement of the hand-lever may be completed in half a second. During said movement each friction pawl 3 will receive ten backwardly working impulses each of which is capable of releasing the pawls. During the turning of the hand-lever from its neutral position to its extreme position in backward direction, the friction pawls 4 are moved in operative position so that the vehicle will immediately commence to slowly move backwardly. This movement may be accelerated by depressing the pedal and retarded by depressing the pedal 26 and entirely shut off by completely depressing the pedal 26 and at the same time depressing the brake-pedal 28. lVlien it is desired to drive the vehicle forwardly, the pedal 25 should be slightly depressed to bring the pedal 26 in such a position as to permit the shifting of the lever 32 in forward direction. At this moment the vehicle is running exceedingly slowly in backward direction. As the hand-lever reaches its" neutral position, said movement will cease due to the releasing of the friction pawls 4 in the same way as is described with reference to the reversing action, and in the continued forward movement of the handlever, the friction pawls 3 will again be made operative thus causing the vehicle to move exceedingly slowly in forward direction. Change of speed may then be effected in the manner already described.

The reversing operation above described will be truewhen the vehicle is moving on a. horizontal road. If thevehicle be on a bill when the reversing operation is to take place, it will move freely downwardly as soon as the hand-lever is moved to its extreme backward position. Braking may however be effected by means of theffootbrake. If the foot-brake pedal 28 be'depressed, the pedal 26 will also be depressed,

clutches respectively, the said hand-lever being so mounted and arranged with relation to said pedals that it cannot be shifted but in a given position of said pedals corresponding to a slow movement of the clutches.

The combination in an automobile, of a driven axle, a number of reversible clutches operating on said axle, means for reversing the clutches, a hand-lever for operating said means, a driving shaft, an obliquely acting thrust-disk thereon for retation therewith, a non-rotary thrust-ring loosely mounted on said thrust-disk, connections for imparting motion from said thrust-ring to said clutches, means for adjusting said thrust-disk at different oblique angles with respect to said shaft, said means including a turnable control shaft, a pinion on said shaft, toothed segments meshing -With said pinion at opposite sides thereof and a pedal connected with each of said toothed segments, the reversing hand lever being so positioned and arranged With relation to said pedals that it cannot be shifted but in a definite position of said pedals corresponding to a slow movement of the clutches.

6. The combination in an automobile, of a driven axle, a number of clutches operating on said axle, a driving shaft, an obliquely acting thrust-disk thereon for totation therewith, a non-rotary thrust-ring loosely mounted on said thrust-disk, connecions for imparting motion from said thrustring to said clutches, means for adjusting the said thrust-disk at different oblique angles with respect to said shaft, said means including one pedal for increasing the speed of the clutches, and another pedal for decreasing said speed, a partition Wall situated between said pedals to prevent operation thereof with the same feet, a brake pedal so connected with the pedal for decreasing the said speed as to move the same when depressed, said brake pedal being situated at the same side of said partition-Wall as the pedal for decreasing the speed of the clutches.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name.

(giUNNA R ELIAS CASShL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

